Fourth Judicial District - District Court Judge
Honorable Deborah J. Grohs
Retention Year: 2010
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
Need an accessible PDF Document version?
Please click on the link below and email our staff
The Fourth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance, by a unanimous vote of 9-0, recommends that Judge Deborah J. Grohs BE RETAINED. One Commissioner was absent.
Judge Deborah J. Grohs was appointed to the District Court bench on September 28, 2007. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University in 1982 and her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1985. Judge Grohs serves as president of the Ben S. Wendelken Inn of Court, a legal education organization, as well as on the events board for Habitat for Humanity, and has served as a volunteer judge for Teen Court, the Mock Trial Competition, and speaks to court AA meetings. This is Judge Grohs’ first time being considered for retention.
Judge Grohs docket is 50% domestic relations and 50% criminal. Before taking the bench, Judge Grohs was in private practice with a concentration in criminal defense. Judge Grohs was also a mediator for the Office of Dispute Resolution in criminal and domestic matters. Prior to her private practice, Judge Grohs was the Head Public Defender for Douglas, Lincoln and Elbert Counties; a supervisor in the Colorado Springs Public Defender’s Office; and a public defender in Chicago, Illinois.
Judge Grohs’ evaluation scores by attorneys are somewhat below average. Her scores from non-attorneys are closer to the statewide average for district court judges, but still slightly below average. These scores are not inconsistent with a new judge. She was rated as fair and neutral as a judge by 50% (district judge average was 47%), and received many positive comments about demeanor and fairness. Court room observers noted Judge Grohs demonstrated great care in helping non-lawyer litigants understand the legal issues before them, and their rights and options under the law.
The Commission considered survey data and comments, an interview of Judge Grohs, courtroom observations, case management data and Judge Grohs’ self-evaluation. Of all the 43 attorneys surveyed about retention, 70% recommended to retain, 24% not to retain, and 7% expressed no opinion. Excluding those who had no opinion, 75% recommended to retain and 25% not to retain. Of all non-attorneys surveyed, 83% recommended to retain, 11% not to retain, and 5% expressed no opinion. Excluding those who had no opinion, 88% recommended to retain and 13% not to retain. (These percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.)